# Wrapping Boxes with Wax Paper



## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

To avoid derailing John's thread any further and per Al's advice, I decided to open a separate thread in regards to aging and wrapping boxes in wax paper. My original comments are below.
_
I don't mean to get off topic here, sorry John, but I'm intrigued by the fact of wrapping boxes, ones that your planning to age for several years in wax paper. I've seen this quite often from a very respected vendor who holds auctions twice a year.

Stewart is this something you do with all boxes? Are we talking just general wax paper you buy at the store in the grocery section? Then you basically wrap the box like you would a present for Christmas and tape the paper down?

What is the advantage of wrapping your boxes in wax paper? How does it improve or effect the aging process?

Bob feel free to chime in if you have any experience with this.
_
Perhaps now we can open this discussion up a bit further and get some responses from guys that have used this practice in the past.


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

Al's response in another thread....

_David
Wrapping the boxes in wax-paper reduces air flow thus slowing the aging process.
I have wrapped several boxes of my 04 inventory in hopes of keeping them prime.
I also started my own experiment a few yrs ago when I started buying identical box codes and wrapping 1.
I have 7 pair in storage. This Summer I hope to open and compare cigars that have been down since 08
and see if there is a discernible difference after 4 yrs......_

Al, with that being said, are we just talking about plain old wax paper from the grocery store? So obviously you've wrapped some of the quite tasting 04 RyJ EL's we all seem to love to slow the aging process down as they seem to be in their prime now.

Interesting with your experiment and I will be quite interested to see and hear the results and feedback from you.


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

I'm neither a chemist nor an engineer, so I'm not going to discuss the difference between wrapping in wax paper, which the Brits use vs vacuum wrapping with plastic like some of those in the far east recommend for really long term storage.

I just love the aesthetics of a SLB wrapped in old wax paper.

The stuff always ends up tearing a bit no matter how careful I try to be. 

Again, without making claims about how this changes the aging process, all those old cigars smoke really, really well. Plus, ripping of the wax paper to open the box for the first time in years is mildly erotic.

Maybe I'm a little nostalgic for those boxes you don't see as much anymore.


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

David
The same old wax-paper that grandma used to cove her pie with.
Wrap them like Christmas gifts.


This Summer, perhaps when I open my first 2 boxes, I can send out 
blind samples to see if folks can tell the difference...


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## Habano (Jul 5, 2010)

asmartbull said:


> David
> The same old wax-paper that grandma used to cove her pie with.
> Wrap them like Christmas gifts.
> 
> ...


Lol...grandma, hilarious.

Wow Al, quite a generous offer. Just like what you did last year and the reviews. I think it would create quite the debate and a lively discussion.


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## harley33 (Mar 27, 2009)

Ah Sh*t, I guess that I am doing this wrong. I used plain old plastic wrap. The wax paper sounds better anyway. To Bob's point, I would be that little boy on Christmas, opening the presents, all excited!

Sounds like a weekend project. I need to move things around anyway, I am out of space....


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## asmartbull (Aug 16, 2009)

Jeff
After all the reading I have done, I can't imagine it really matters all that much.
In fact there are some theories about using seal-able plastic bags, with no air exchange.
My 04 EL's may go into such bags.


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## David_ESM (May 11, 2011)

Well this is all new to me... Interesting.


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## Vwluv10338 (Aug 24, 2010)

asmartbull said:


> Jeff
> After all the reading I have done, I can't imagine it really matters all that much.
> In fact there are some theories about using seal-able plastic bags, with no air exchange.
> My 04 EL's may go into such bags.


I would think that wax paper or regular ziplock would be similar in the amount of air they allow to be exchanged. As im sure most here know Ziplocks are not air tight so there will be some exchange. Earlier in my smoking career I put some coffee infused sticks in a ziplock and then in my humidor. As you can guess almost all my sticks in there are now slightly infused. Either way i guess it's about minimal air exchange. I would think that the heavy vacuum sealed plastic would be better but I guess it's like wine corks. A screw off top is better but there is just something about a cork.


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## usrower321 (Mar 27, 2011)

Bob,

Have you thought about wrapping the box in waxed paper then a layer of saran wrap? I'm certainly not an expert in aging habanos but that may help a bit with the waxed paper tearing and only one or two layers applied cleanly (pulled tight) shouldn't detract too much from aesthetics.


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## BamaDoc77 (Jan 31, 2007)

Sorry guys, didnt know my waxing habit would turn into a new thread. I will go into it alot more tomorrow when I have more time. Its quite a lengthy bit of knowledge.
-Stewart


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Wonder if anyone vacuum seals their boxes.


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

bpegler said:


> I'm neither a chemist nor an engineer, so I'm not going to discuss the difference between wrapping in wax paper, which the Brits use vs vacuum wrapping with plastic like some of those in the far east recommend for really long term storage.
> 
> I just love the aesthetics of a SLB wrapped in old wax paper.
> 
> ...


THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry Bob tried to bump ya it says i love ya too much.


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## harley33 (Mar 27, 2009)

I lot of interesting opinions. I was debating on getting a vacuum sealer at Sams. I've looked at it the last couple of trips there. It's about $60, but I would have to make sure that SLB's and the bigger dress boxes would fit.

And I would have to come up with a reason for the Home Minister as to why we would need it... :whoo:


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

harley33 said:


> I lot of interesting opinions. I was debating on getting a vacuum sealer at Sams. I've looked at it the last couple of trips there. It's about $60, but I would have to make sure that SLB's and the bigger dress boxes would fit.
> 
> And I would have to come up with a reason for the Home Minister as to why we would need it... :whoo:


Its great for saving left overs, vegetables etc.


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## jimbo1 (Aug 18, 2010)

very interesting.......I assume this is done to slow the aging, and they are stored at the same conditions or different? perhaps lower temps and r/h?


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## BamaDoc77 (Jan 31, 2007)

Alright guys, as promised. Some of my info I have learned was taken from another site. 

"You don't want 100% absolute no air exchange tight. Zip lock, or wax paper is better than vacu-sealed. Similar to wine, if you had 100% air tight instead of cork, they wine become sulfury and bad. There has to be a hint of exchange between box and world."

I wrap all my boxes that Im not going to get into (and sample) in wax paper. These are boxes I am going to let sleep for the next decade +....
I also think its IMPERATIVE to wax my collection of OLDER cigar boxes (from the 70s and 80s) because I WANT to slow the aging process on them. There will always be a natural (beautiful) decomposition of cigar that is dependent on airflow. Thus, wrapping OLD cigars is necessary IMO.

Wrapping in saran wrap, NOT plastic wrap, would also accomplish the same, as would ziploc bags. All this is done AFTER the cigars have become happy in your cooler/walk in humidor and acclimated to the ambience of humidity. Then you would wrap, etc. These methods will not only minimize the airflow exchange (which is what we want) but it dually protects your other cigars from a rare case of beetle infestation. In essence, I am inhibiting NH4 (ammonia) breakdown, which is what I want in OLDER cigars.
Saran, which is polyvinylidene chloride is a very different polymer from the polyethylene that is used to make generic "plastic wrap." PVDC has a much lower oxygen vapor transmission rate (2,500 times lower). As a result, wrapping a box in Saran will have the effect of drastically slowing down aerobic reactions, those which require the presence of oxygen to occur. Saran is also approximately 10 times lower moisture vapor transmission rate.

OXYGEN:


There are 2 reasons:

1. Fermentation is oxygen dependent. Less oxygen, slower fermentation, more time for chemical reactions, more complex aromas, better aging results.

2. Oxygen in large quantities, as in wines, destroys delicate aromas. The Cubans must have discovered this ages ago. The flap covering the cigars when you open a dress box, the “Bofetón”, prevents air entering the front side of the box, but there is no protection for the 2 remaining sides. But to be fair, the entering of oxygen is most aggressive in the front side.

Some say this is a Hong Kong invention, as you don’t see this practice done by the British, who have a long history in aging cigars.

People are mistaken. Cigars stored in UK cigar shops are not wrapped, as they must be subjected to periodical inspection. (Some are, by special instruction from customers.)

But for cigars in the private inventory of huge collectors in Britain, many are wrapped in wax paper. Many are still wrapped when they appear in Christie’s auctions.

The reason you don’t see too many wrapped original boxes in Christie’s auctions is because the vendors chose to unwrap the box. People do not like to buy cigars without seeing them. Wrapped boxes typically realise less money than open boxes.


Hope all this helps guys.
-Stewart


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## jdfutureman (Sep 20, 2010)

All I can say is the Doctor is in! I thoroughly enjoyed your post. 

Bump time 
Thanks Stewart now where do I sign up for the class:biggrin:


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## smokinpeace (Jan 28, 2010)

Glad this discussion came up. I had been thinking about starting this process with some boxes I was laying down for the long haul. Thanks Stewart for all the knowledge. Do you mind me asking whether you freeze first or are in the no-freeze camp? I would think for those that do freeze, you would need to wait several months before wrapping like this.


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## BamaDoc77 (Jan 31, 2007)

You are correct, I freeze all my stock when I get them in.. Yes, I give them a few week/months in the coolers/walk-in before wrapping them.


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks, I think I'll stick to zip locks then.


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## protekk (Oct 18, 2010)

Very valuable information. Thanks Doc!


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## lebz (Mar 26, 2011)

Cool and very interesting stuff

I think to really figure out the chemistry behind all of this... we need the help of....

Heisenberg


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## sengjc (Nov 15, 2010)

Who and why?


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## Vwluv10338 (Aug 24, 2010)

sengjc said:


> Who and why?


Breaking Bad - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## lebz (Mar 26, 2011)

sengjc said:


> Who and why?


One of the best shows on TV right now.. he is a Chemist


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

So the Heisenberg uncertainty principle is cleared up?


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## tpharkman (Feb 20, 2010)

I wrapped a bunch of boxes yesterday. If it helps with the resting/aging process then great. I know it will help me keep my hands out of the boxes so I will actually have something left over to benefit from the added years instead of an empty box.


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## harley33 (Mar 27, 2009)

tpharkman said:


> I wrapped a bunch of boxes yesterday. If it helps with the resting/aging process then great. I know it will help me keep my hands out of the boxes so I will actually have something left over to benefit from the added years instead of an empty box.


Great point, maybe if I have them wrapped, I won't be tempted to reach in and grab a couple...


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